EC opens consultation on Horizontal Block Exemption

On 5 September 2019, the European Commission opened a consultation for stakeholders on the assessment of the ‘Horizontal Block Exemption Regulations’, which exclude certain horizontal agreements from the application of EU competition law rules. This concerns in particular certain R&D agreements. As the regulations will expire in 2022, the Commission is seeking to determine whether it is appropriate to extend or amend them. Interested parties can give feedback from 5 September 2019 to 3 October 2019.